Means for manufacturing mineral wool



Feb. 27, 1962 c. B. SETTERBERG MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING MINERAL WOOL Filed Sept. 3, 1957 United States Patent 3322.538 MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING MINERAL WOOL Carl B. Setterberg, North Piainfield, N.J., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 681,650 7 Claims. (Cl. 18-25) In the manufacture of mineral wool from molten fiberforming materials such as blast furnace slag, Wool rock, vitreous materials, etc., an apparatus is employed in which this molten material is initially supplied to a cup-shaped rapidly revolving rotor or wheel and the collected molten fiber-forming material centrifugally ejected therefrom into the path of a steam blast for drawing the molten material into fibers.

While fibers have been produced with the above mentioned apparatus, due to the lack of proper controls in the construction, arrangement and relationship between the component parts and their manner of operation, and including the design of the portal, consistently good results and uniformity of production have not been obtained and the efficiency thereof is relatively low. It is an important object of the present invention to assure proper and adequate control of the complete fiberizing unit, including its component parts, their manner of operation and the portal assembly, whereby mineral wool of uniformly high quality is most effectively produced.

Such control and assurance of a high standard of performance has been accomplished in the present invention by controlling the more important variables which govern the effectiveness of the apparatus and the manner of operation. Among these are the following:

It will be appreciated that with so many variables to consider, each in relation to the other becomes highly important for a large number of combinations may be obtained without producing a product of uniformly good quality and capable of Widespread public acceptance. I have found that in proper control of the above variables, uniformly excellent results and the production of fibers having thedesired characteristics are assured.

Those interested in the production of mineral wool fibers from slag or fiber-forming material have spent large sums of money and many years of research in an endeavor to develop an apparatus and method or manner of operation by which the operator is assured of the continuous production of mineral wool fibers having the desired characteristics including the size and length of the fibers, resiliency, ease of handling, and substantially lower densities in the batts and felt produced than obtainable with the apparatus and methods now employed. Operating the apparatus as herein contemplated results in a much lower shot content which is of great importance in the manufacture of mineral wool.

These advantages resulting from the present controls have a pronounced economic significance in the manufacture of mineral wool for they permit of large and 3,022,533 Patented Feb. 27, 1962 uniform quantities of vastly superior batts'and felt from a given amount of molten slag, as well as a greatly improved yield of granulated wool capable of giving much greater coverage and producing a product that is more resilient than those produced without such controls.

A further important object of the present invention is the provision in a fiberizing apparatus for producing mineral wool of a novel combination of component parts so constructed, arranged and operated as to assure a uniform product that is much superior to the product obtainable with prior apparatus and methods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel fiberizing unit and manner of operation in which the component parts of this unit, including the distribut- 7 ing rotor and the encompassing steam ring, are so constructed and arranged and their manner of operation so related and controlled as to assure optimum production of mineral wool from a given quantity of molten slag or fiber-forming material and by which uniformly superior batts and felt of mineral wool fibers may be successfully produced with the continued assurance that the resulting produce will embody the desired characteristics not otherwise obtainable.

Further objects are to provide a novel construction and combination of maximum efiiciency, economy and ease of operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

FIGURE .1 is a fragmentary view in horizontal cross section of a fiberizing assembly for producing mineral wool fibers in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the portal assembly.

FIG. 3 is another diagrammatic view of the portal assembly but in vertical section, the view being taken in a plane represented by the line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawing and to the novel illustrative embodiment therein shown, there is disclosed a fiberizing unit or apparatus including a distributing rotor 19 for centrifugally ejecting molten slag or fiber-forming material 11 in the pathof multiple jets of steam under pressure issuing from a plurality of closely spaced orifices 12 in asurrounding fiberizing steam ring 13. These multiple jets of steam upon intercepting and impinging against the annular pattern of ejected molten slag draws or attenuates this slag into fibers that are carried along with the steam and withdrawn by suction from a suitable suction means in the collection chamber.

The molten slag to be fiberized is discharged from a furnace or, cupola (not shown) onto a guide trough M- which directs this fiber-forming material upon the inner surface 15 of the cup-shaped distributing rotor il As this rotor is revolved at high speed, the film or layer of molten slag l6 collected on the rounded or curved surface 15 is ejected by centrifugal force over the ledge vl7 and the radially or outwardly inclined peripheral edge 18 of the lip in an annular pattern and in a substantially vertical plane across the multiple and closely spaced orifices 12 in the outer end or face 19 of the fiberizing steam ring 13 where the direction of travel of this ejected molten slag is abruptly altered from a substantially ver tical to an approximately horizontal plane by the impinging jets of steam and drawn thereby into mineral wool fibers. These formed fibers are projected forwardly in an approximately cylindrical pattern or ring 20 by the steam and drawn by suction through an aligned opening 21 in a portal 22.

This portal 22 is of substantially V-shape when viewed from the top or in horizontal section as shown in FIGS.

1 and 2, with the opening 21 (FIG. 3 being located at 7 tributing rotor so that the ring of formed fibers may pass readily therethrough into a suction and collecting chemher 23, but with any shot formed in the fiberizing operation being deflected against the inclined sides 24 of the portal 22 from where it drops into a pit 25.

The distributing rotor ltl is revolved at high speed by a shaft 25 from a motor or other power source (not shown) and this shaft is hollow to supply water or other coolant to the rotor and also supply a binder or treating composition to be atomized and sprayed onto the formed fibers before they are drawn by suction through the opening 21 in the pojrtal 22.. The hollow central portion of the shaft is provided with an inner pipe or conduit 27 for supplying the hinder or treating composition to the fibers,

an encompassing pipe 28 providing an annular passage between these concentric pipes for the enteringcoolant and an annular space between the pipe 28 and the inner cylindrical wall 29 of the bore of the shaft 26 providing areturn passage for discharge of the coolant.

As the temperature of the molten slag collected on the distributing rotor 10 may be of the order of 2700 PI, it is preferable to supply a coolant to the interior of the rotor but the means for supplying this coolant being well known no further description thereof is believed neces- 1 sary.

The concentric, conduits 27 and 28 remain stationary within the bore or hollow interior of the rapidly revolving shaft 26, with. the inner conduit supplying the binder discharging into the space between spaced slinger plates 3!) and 31, the former being provided with an opening 32 communicating with the conduit. 27 and the latter imperforateexcept that it and the slinger plate 30 are threaded studs 33 and spacing washers 34 for mounting these platesin spaced relation upon the outer end of the threaded studs 33, the inner end of th'esestuds being anejected from therebetween in the form of a vertically projected atomized spray 36 that isdischarged outwardly in radial pattern against the encompassing formed fibers where it is dispersed and collects on these fibers.

The entering water or coolant flowing through the annular space between the concentric pipes 27 and 28, passes through one or more inlet ports 37 in the reduced forward end 38 of the shaft and into the space 39 between the plate 41 held by spacers 42 between the base.

43 and the body of therotor 10. One or more return ports 44'are provided in the end 38 of the shaft 26 communicating with the return space 45 between the plate 41 and the body of the rotor and the passage comprising the annular s ace between the internal wallof the bore 29 a of the shaft 26 and the pipe 28.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 is shown diagrammatically the portal 7 design and portal chamber 46 for the fiberizing unit, the

latter being separated from the collecting chamber 23 by the portal 22 with its angularly arranged sides 24 having the centrally arranged opening 21 in the portal for the passage of the formed fibers 20 into the collecting chamber where these fibers are collected in batts or felt. The

. portal chamber 46 is enclosed by the sides 24, end walls 47, upwardly and rearwardly inclined top wall 48, down- .wardly and forwardly inclined bottom wall 49, opposite side walls 50 and ceiling 51, the opposite side walls 50 being shown with inwardly projecting offsets 52 confining the portal chamber 46, the formed fibers passing through the portal opening 21 with any shot deflected by the walls surrounding said opening being directed into 4 V the pit 25 therebelow. Theinclined sides 24 are water cooled. a

As one illustrative example of the component parts and optimum conditions for the above mentioned variables and whereby the operator is assured that the fibers produced have the desired quality, uniformity and other characteristics previously described, the distributing rotor 1" has a diameter of approximately 14 inches with the disclosed contour of its lip including the inclination of its peripheral edge 18 directing'the molten material over the edge of this lip in a thin film as the rotor is rotated at high speed about a horizontal am's. This speed is of the order of 1350 r.p.m. The external diameter of the fiberiz ing' steam ring is of the order of 16% inches with its internal diameter of the order'of 14% inches and thediameter to the orifice center line of the order of 15% inches. The orifices 12 number approximately 300 openings uniformly spaced apartfor discharge of the steam in the form of high pressure jets; with the spacing thereof being of the order of inch on centers and the orifices having a" diameter of the order of .08 inch. The fiberizing steam ring 13 with one or more inletpipes 5.3 for the entering steam under pressure is positioned approximately 1 /2 inches behind the plane of the slag discharged or cen- .provided with spaced tapped openings for receiving trifugally ejected from the peripheral edge of the distributing rotor 16, but is adius'tably mounted for varying its distance behind the plane of the intercepted slag.

Excellent results have been. obtained by employing steam under pressure of the ,order of 55 pounds per square inch when manufacturing mineral Wool batts or felt. In the event the present assembly is employed for producing granulated wool, it is contemplated moving the fiberizing steam ring 13 forwardly relative to the rotor mains the same as outlined above.

'The formed fibers are coated or impregnated with a suitable treating solution comprising a binder, annealing oil, waterproofing composition or combination thereof, centrifugally ejected from between the slinger plates 30 and 31 and discharged as'an atomized spray 36 that is uniformly diffused or dispersed in the encompassing Wool stream 20.

The wool stream 20 so treated i then drawn by suction from the portal chamber 46, through the portal Opening 21 into the collecting chamber 23 where the treated fibers are collected as a mineral wool batt or felt in the well. known manner. The opening 21 has a diameter of the order of 32 inches and with the inclined sides and walls so arranged that any formed shoe is deflected and separated from the wool stream exhausted through the portal opening and collected in the pit 25. .The apex of the portal 22is disposed a distance of the order of 36 inches from the rotor 10.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In-apparatus'for the manufacture of mineral wool from molten mineral material wherein a stream of attenuated material is projected forwardly from fiberizing means toward a collecting chamber, and a portion of said stream passes through an opening in a portal wall .into the collecting chamber and another portion of said stream impinges against said wall adjacent said opening, the improvement comprising a portal wall formed with portions of said wall adjacent said opening inclined forwardly and outwardly for deflecting material impinging on said wall away from the opening therethrough.

2. In apparatus for the manufacture of mineral wool from molten mineral material wherein a stream of at- -tenuated material is projected generally horizontally from can it.

jacent said opening, the improvement comprising a portal wall having forwardly and outwardly inclined side portions immediately above the opening-through said wall, said portions being oriented generally transverse to the normal direction of movement of said attenuated material.

3. The improvement in apparatus as in claim 2 and wherein said side portions comprise a pair of side portions abutting one another along an extension of a generally vertical median line of said opening.

4. The improvement in apparatus as in claim 2 and wherein said portal wall includes a plurality of forwardly and outwardly inclined sides surrounding the opening through said Wall and extending into abutting relation, and said opening is formed at the apex of said portal wall defined by said sides.

5. The improvement in apparatus as in claim 2 and wherein said portal wall includes a downwardly and forwardly inclined side disposed below said opening.

6. Apparatus for the manufacture of mineral wool from molten mineral material comprising fiberizing means for attenuating said material and projecting the attenuated material horizontally forwardly in a stream having a predetermined outer cross-sectional periphery, a portal wall spaced forwardly of said fiberizing means and formed with an opening therethrough, and a collecting chamber disposed forward of said wall, said portal wall including a pair of generally vertical forwardly and outwardly inclined sides surrounding said opening and extending into abutting relation above and below said opening, said opening being of a configuration similar to but smaller than the normal outer cross-sectional periphery of said stream at said wall whereby a portion of said stream passes through said opening into said chamber and a peripheral portion of said stream impinges on said inclined sides and is deflected away from said opening.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6 and including means for cooling said inclined sides with water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 65,339 Butcher et al. June 4, 1867 1,994,610 'Huyett Mar. 19, 1935 2,255,227 Parsons Sept. 9, 1941 2,328,714 Drill et a1. Sept. 7, 1943 2,403,740 Muench July 9, 1946 2,431,205 Slayter Nov. 18, 1947 2,587,710 Downey Mar. 4, 1952 2,646,593 Downey July 28, 1953 2,707,847 Anliker May 10, 1955 2,774,103 Graybeal Dec. 18, 1956 2,839,782 Tillotson June 24, 1958 2,869,175 Ebbinghouse Jan. 20, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,022,538 February 27, 1962 Carl B Setterberg It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 22 for "produce" read product column 4, line 52, for "shoe" read shot Signed and sealed this 19th day of June 1962.

iSEAL) meat:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID LADD Meeting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MINERAL WOOL FROM MOLTEN MINERAL MATERIAL WHEREIN A STREAM OF ATTENUATED MATERIAL IS PROJECTED FORWARDLY FROM FIBERIZING MEANS TOWARD A COLLECTING CHAMBER, AND A PORTION OF SAID STREAM PASSES THROUGH AN OPENING IN A PORTAL WALL INTO THE COLLECTING CHAMBER AND ANOTHER PORTION OF SAID STREAM IMPINGES AGAINST SAID WALL ADJACENT SAID OPENING, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A PORTAL WALL FORMED WITH PORTIONS OF SAID WALL ADJACENT SAID OPENING INCLINED FORWARDLY 